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My Clubs and Organizations

I've got a closet in my spare bedroom (storage room) that I wanted to add another clothes hanger rod to. Among my scrap pieces I had two 1.25" diameter closet rod sections that together would be long enough, but neither was long enough on their own. The distance to span is roughly 22".
This is a CNC-cut splice joint I came up with to solve the problem. Test cut on smaller scraps shown in the photos. I'm calling it my radial finger joint.
Finished spliced rod now loaded with clothes and seems to be able to handle the weight with no complaint. If it does fail eventually I'll report back.
4D

Last weekend the woodworking club had our annual seminar with Glen Huey of 360 Woodworking, previously of Popular Woodworking Magazine and custom furniture maker. He did demos of joint making, primarily dovetail and mortise and tenon variations. He recommend this book as his "bible" https://www.amazon.com/dp/1565233697/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1BPL7A309FJBR&coliid=I159ALHR7ZRP9R
I got a copy and have been reading it. The first 60 or so pages are on wood properties and various joints. Not so much "how to do" but "what it looks like" with lots of variations. The next 50 pages are on various "sub-assemblies" -- using the joints listed before, how to do things like doors, drawers, and cases.
The last 200+ pages are all sorts of furniture designs. Each is covered in two pages that lists various style options (Shaker, Danish modern, colonial, etc), a few references for published plans and an exploded drawing showing joinery and critical dimensions. If you are like me and have a general idea of what and how to build but are looking for some ideas to push you in the right direction,this is quite the ticket.
While probably not for the rank beginner, for those with some experience to look at a drawing and know where to start, this is a great book.

Yesterday I managed to extract myself from the busy life of Honey Do's and kids daily events and get a little time in the shop with our Claro Rocker.
A week ago when I started laying out the arms ontop of the arm pads that are basically the top of the front legs, I realized I made a major mistake in my calculations for the arm rests to meet up at the proper height to the joint at the rear leg/backrest area. I was a full 1/4" too low, the joinery was not going to meet up where it was supposed to by my previously laid out joints. After much thinking and tinkering with ideas and layouts, I finally came to the conclusion that I'll simply increase the height of the arm rest by adding a 1/4" block to raise up the arm rest. Since this is walnut, the newly added pad will be un-noticeable. In some regards these rockers are un-forgiving in errors, but in many regards these rockers are also very forgiving in the sense that this is in essence a sculpted work, so errors and mis-steps often times can be carved, shaped, and filed away or to blend, and in this case, it is a forgiving error/
Images below are not exciting, they simply show my modified pad glued up to the top of the front leg pad to increase the height of the arm rest.
First image shows my pad glued up and secured with my quick grips just to get them in place.
One thing I like to do is save sawn cut-outs from a piece I shape so we can use them as clamping cauls, you'll notice the blocks at the bottom of the shaped arm pad, they were initially cut out for the the preliminary shaping of the arm rest block, I held on to them to use as I clamp up the arm rest to the block, but I was also able to use them in this fix for clamping cauls.
Next images show the clamps all in place on both arm rests pads.
Unrelated to the arm rest FUBAR, are more images showing the preliminary shaping of the front leg seat joints. I rough and blend the joints in with a 4.5" right angle grinder. But first I need to secure the chair to my bench.
Next I take to grinding the general shape of the joint.
As it takes shape
I'll then finish it up with a combination of my ROS and some files. Image below shows the joint blended and formed, no gaps in the glue joint either, this is a successful chair joint.
To reach the other side of the joint, I need to position the chair on the floor, and brace it with my legs and feet, and work on the joint from a comfortable height as I sit. The joint is not finished, but it's coming along. I use the same technique as I did with the other side of the joint in images above.
Thanks for following along, now contrary to popular propositions and laws being formed and voted on, I feel these are some "joints" we can all get behind!

So just to get a little chatter going and I haven't ask one of these in a while, I thought today would be a good time.
When you are doing or planning a woodworking project, what is your favorite part of the project?
1. Drawing a scale drawing
2. Building a prototype
3. Dimensioning the material
4. Layout
5. Joinery
6. Assembly
7. Sanding
8. Staining or finishing
9. Just seeing the end results!

Think your dovetail and box joints won't come apart? My study of antiques says otherwise. But I have a solution to lock your dovetails and box joints permanently.This is my favorite woodworking tip and technique of all time. I hope you enjoy the video and find it helpful.
I am looking forward to hearing feedback on experience and observations of these joints. Your friend in the shop-Todd A. Clippinger

Well, got a center stile recut, as the first one was a 1/4" too short. Then cut a few grooves in it
After taking a small hammer to the iron, to get it centered, again. Had it set a bit deep. You start at the far end and work your way backwards, until it quits cutting. Makes some nice curlie things jump out the side of the plane, too.
Needed to size a couple panels to make the raised panels. While I do have the handsaws for this work, I don't have THAT much "Get-up-and-go" so
A old, all metal Sears Craftsman circular saw did the work. Much faster than some olde pharte by hand. Laid out some lines to start making the bevels for the panels
One inch in from each edge. There is also a stop line on the edge to show ABOUT where to stop the bevel at. A Stanley Four Square #5-1/4 Junior jack was set a bit deep. The trick is to do the end grain ends first. at a diagonal to the grain. Going from "high" to low". After a few minutes of scrapping away
We have a decent bevel. Do the other end grain end, then set up for the long grain sides
And repeat until all four edges have a bevel. I cleaned things up with a low angle block plane, too. Now, I do need to make a rebate on the back side of these panels, so..
A Wards #78 was setup to do the rebates. Same as the beveled sides, end grain first, then the long grain sides. Time for a test fit, or two?
Well there is one fitted. Took a bit of trimming to get this one to fit just right. Re-marked the second panel, from lessons learned on the first one. After awhile, and a lot of this stuff on the floor
Igor had to sweep the floor four times this morning! Grumbling about wanting a raise, too....
Well, I got the second one a little bit better made, so all the parts can go together
Not too bad? The joints will get draw-bored tight, and wedged. Doubt IF I will need any glue. Top half still needs a rebate to house the screen/storm window. Then a coat of primer then paint, then hung in the doorway. So far, so good....
Who knows, maybe I will get some 5/4 stock, and make a new backdoor as well? First things first... Lunch and a shower, then off to my "Day Job" at 1900 tonight. Work the next two nights 1900-0710hrs

Ok got a few things done. One stile is now completed. Grooves and mortise cut, cut outs for the rails to snuggle into. GGrooves were cut with a Plough Plane
From about 1860 or so. makes some nice curlies
Got some mortises finshed up
One for the bottom rail
Top rail's mortise. Note a 45 degree cut? The rail will match this, will look like a mitered joint. The center Lock rail was a bit different
Double tenons. Double 45s. Grooved on one side, will have a rebate on the other when things get put together. Checked the joint for square, then marked out for the tenons.
Not too bad, so far.
Need to cut a few tenons next. Then locate WHERE a middle stile will go. Make that part, and measure for a couple raised panels. Might do one big panel, rip it to size, and have a book-matched panel for the bottomof the door. So far, mainly hand tools...LOTS of them.
List of "Toys" so far:
Mortise Chisels 3/16" and 1/4"
Firmer chisels
BIG hammer, as the wood mallet just won't drive the Mortise chisels
Couple of squares
Marking/cutting guage
Plough plane, 1/4' x 1/4" grooves
Low angle Block plane, #1455
Gents Saw, crosscut/miter cuts
Backsaw, filed rip. For rip cuts
Full sized handsaw, 8ppi crosscut, cut the boards to length. ( cheated on some, got out the Craftsman 7-1/4 circular saw)
Tape measure, of course. Might come in handy?
Stay tuned, the CUSSING is just beginning...

I haven't made any box joints for a few years and had a project that I wanted to use them on. I have a very nice set of 2 Freud blades that make precision cuts. I set everything up and made a cut on scrap. Then used a digital mich to see how well it did. It measured o.30 and my precision cut wasn't so precision. I removed the blades, cleaned them and recut another one with the same results. Next I checked blade squareness vs miter and blade vs table. NO help. I disassembled my miter, readjusted to specs and tightened out any play. NO help. Then it dawned on me that I no longer have a belt drive saw, instead I now have direct drive saw. I checked the run out on the blades there was my problem Each one had the same problem due to the motor bearings having a tiny bit of play. Oh well I guess I'll set up a box joint jig to use on my router.
Sure wish I had my old huge cast iron sears belt drive. Just did't have the room for it.

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